Thrush in Pregnancy

Is it normal to get thrush in early pregnancy?

During pregnancy many women experience thrush and this is completely normal. Your body is going through a huge amount of changes that can disrupt your body’s natural harmony and this can make you more susceptible to thrush. This unbalancing of bacteria and microorganisms can lead to yeast infections, as the Candida albicans that live in your body multiple uncontrollably. You might find that during your pregnancy you have recurring thrush or that the symptoms can take a while to clear even with treatment.

Can thrush hurt my unborn baby?

There is no evidence to suggest that having thrush while you’re pregnant will harm your baby. Your baby is safely sealed inside you womb (uterus) and will not into come into contact with the yeast infection. If you have thrush when the baby is born they can catch the infection during labour, however this is very straight forward to treat and nothing to worry about.

Can you treat thrush when pregnant?

If you have thrush and are pregnant you should speak to your GP, midwife or neighbourhood Pharmacist before using any treatments. They will be able to diagnose the infection and suggest suitable treatments for you, whether this is a cream or pessary (a tablet inserted into the vagina). If you’re pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to get pregnant you shouldn’t take oral anti-thrush tablets.

What thrush cream is safe to use in pregnancy?

The anti-fungal drug, clotrimazole is considered safe to use when you need to treat thrush in pregnancy. It comes in the form of a cream that can be applied to the affected skin around your vagina or as a pessary that is inserted into your vagina. If you are using a pessary, take care when inserting it and you may want to use your fingers to insert it rather than the applicator.

What can I do to prevent thrush?

Having thrush while you’re pregnant is not a reflection on you or your pregnancy, it can just happen. Although there are a few things that you can do which may stop you from developing the infection:

If you have specific information or communication support needs, please let us know in advance and we will do our best to meet these needs. LloydsPharmacy Online website is owned and provided by LloydsPharmacy Limited a Company incorporated in England and Wales under company number 758153. Our VAT Number is 222516987.